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Rabat – Faustin Boukoubi, the speaker of the National Assembly of Gabon, has reiterated the “permanent” support of his country for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
The head of Gabon’s Lower House of the Parliament visited Morocco on Monday, December 16, to meet with several senior Moroccan officials, including Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nasser Bourita, in Rabat.
The Gabonese official recalled that the “late Omar Bongo supported the Green March in the 1970s and since then we have continuously supported the territorial integrity of the kingdom.”
Bokoubi made the statement during a meeting with the speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives, Habib El Malki.
The speaker of the Lower House in Gabon also reiterated support for Morocco’s return to the African Union.
“Morocco assumes a major role in Africa and without the kingdom, African action cannot succeed.”
In recent years, Africa has become a staple in royal speeches, with King Mohammed VI repeatedly reaffirming Morocco’s commitment to the continent’s development through south-south cooperation.
“Ever since I ascended the throne, I have put Africa at the heart of Morocco’s foreign policy. Therefore, I have paid visits to numerous African countries, and close to 1,000 agreements have been signed, covering all areas of cooperation,” said the King on his 2019 Green March speech in November.
The monarch added that “this has had a tangible impact on Morocco’s economic, political, cultural, and religious standing on the continent,” reaffirming his determination to make Morocco a key player in “shaping the Africa of the future.”
The Gabonese official expressed the will of his country to “consolidate economic and commercial cooperation with Morocco and to intensify the exchange of experiences and expertise in the ecological and parliamentary fields.”
During a meeting between Boukoubi and Morocco’s head of government, El Othmani expressed satisfaction with Gabon’s “constant support from the friendly Gabonese Republic, expressing the will of the Moroccan government to strive for enhanced bilateral relations at all levels and broadening their fields within the framework of a distinguished partnership.”
Strong alliance
King Mohammed VI and Ali Bongo Ondimba, son of Omar Bongo and current President of Gabon share strong friendship. In 2017, the Gabonese president shared a picture of him and King Mohammed VI as teenagers, demonstrating the long-standing friendship between them.
Last year in November, Bongo was hospitalized in Saudi Arabia. He spent nearly a month at King Faisal hospital in the Saudi capital following a stroke on October 24.
The Gabonese president arrived in Rabat on November 29 to continue his convalescence in Morocco at the request of the King.
In an op-ed published by Oxford Business Group, said that “there is a remarkable strategic partnership between Gabon and the Kingdom of Morocco.”
“These strong ties were patiently built by our illustrious predecessors, to whom I would like to pay respect. The success of this special relationship calls for a moment of reflection on the strength and diversity of our many connections, and the various areas of common interest,” he added.
